This is my 1965 Ducati Brio. I found it on eBay in the summer of 2004, located in Sacramento; about 90 minutes drive from San Francisco. Concerned that the seller might be swayed by someone offering them a bunch of money to end the auction early, I wrote the seller and asked them to please not do so, so that I would have a chance to bid (I always bid in the last few seconds). The seller wrote me back to reassure me, and to ask what I would do with the scooter, should I be the winning bidder. I told him that I would not restore it; that I would preserve the paint, make it mechanically reliable and safe, and ride it a few times a year; mostly to shows and rallies.

A couple of days later the seller wrote me back and said that he was being driven up the wall by prospective bidders with all kinds of inane questions. He was getting tired of the hassle, and said I could have it now, for the opening bid of $600. He liked what I said I would do with it; he was afraid it would be subjected to a restoration that would ruin its originality. I broke several speed limits and may have set a new speed record for a 40 year-old Dodge Dart in driving from San Francisco to Sacramento to get it.

It's an astoundingly original bike. Everything--right down to the tires and tubes--was original when I bought it. Since then, I've had to replace the tubes, in the interest of safety , and because both had slow leaks. On the plus side, it is dead reliable, always starting on the first or second kick. And it tracks very straight; quite unlike a Vespa. On the minus side, the gear selector doesn't index well, making the shifting is a bit sloppy and unpredictable. And taking off the rear wheel is major surgery, unlike a Vespa or Lambretta.

This one is, unfortunately, missing a few items. It is lacking the Veglia speedometer, the rear insignia, and (more importantly) the cooling hood and fan shroud assembly. Consequently, I have to be careful not to overheat the engine. The right-hand switch block is broken too. If anyone out there has a line on any of these parts, I'd greatly appreciate hearing about it. I do have an illustrated parts manual, and would be happy to copy it for anyone who needs it, just for the cost of xeroxing and postage.

The Brio was made in two models, in the early-to-mid 1960s. The 100 (98cc) and the 50 (48cc). They don't seem to share many parts; the smaller Brios are noticeably shorter. It's just as well, as two-up, the 98cc model has a difficult time breaking 40mph on the flats. The smaller model must be very weak indeed. The styling is very much like the Lambretta Cento, if a little less swoopy. I think the neatest thing about it is the engine, which is, I believe, adapted from Ducati's 98cc motorcycle. With the sidepanel removed, my Brio is a real magnet to Italian bike fans, when they see that Ducati logo cast into the engine case.